Hugh Dealy

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C H on 18th February 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN JONES. HUGH DEALY. Theft; burglary. 15th February 1797. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN JONES, HUGH DEALY Offences Theft > Burglary Session Date 15th February 1797 Reference Number t17970215-51 Verdicts Guilty > Lesser offence Punishments Transportation 168. JOHN JONES and HUGH DEALY were indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Elizabeth Dunton , widow , about the hour of seven in the night, of the 17th of December , with intent to steal the goods, and burglariously stealing a feather-bed, value 30s. a stock bolster, value 2s. two pillows, value 4s. four pillowcases, value 6d. and two woollen blankets, value 2s. the property of Richard Gray , the said Elizabeth Dunton and others, in the said house then being . RICHARD GRAY sworn. - I am a coach-maker , I live in Great Peter-street, Westminster , I lodge with Mrs. Dunton, I have lodged with her six months: On Saturday the 17th of December, about seven o'clock in the evening, I stepped out to a public-house, a few doors off, to meet a friend, it was a dark night. Q. Is the room up stairs, or on the ground-floor? - A. Upon the ground-floor, it is a back-room; before I went out of the house, I double locked the door, and put the key in my breeches pocket; I was out about half an hour, or three quarters of an hour; when I returned, I found my room door broke open, the lock was forced, and some of the screws were loose. Q. Were there any other lodgers besides in the house? - A. There are some who lodge up stairs, but not in that part; there is a passage door in New Peter-street, that comes into this room only, that I rent, none of the other lodgers, nor even Mrs. Dunton, enter that door, but myself, the common door of the house opens into Great Peter-street; when I came into my room with my lighted candle, which I brought from the public-house, I found my bed, pillows, bolster, and blankets gone. Q. Are you sure they were in your room when you went out? - A. Yes; on the Tuesday following, I went before the Justice, and by his desire, the watchman or constable from the Public-office, returned all my thing except the pillows, the same evening; the pillows the constable has to produce here, which I can swear to. WILLIAM SHEDLOCK sworn. - On Saturday evening, the 17th of December, about a little before seven o'clock, I was coming down New Peter-street, towards Mrs. Dunton's, and saw Hugh Dealy go into the passage of Mrs. Dunton's house; about half an hour afterwards, I heard, that the man that lodged there was robbed. Q. You took no notice of his going into the passage, any more than just seeing him? - A. No; I had known him for several years, I was about two yards off from him then. Q. Knowing him for several years, you thought he had no business there? - A. Yes, that made me take particular notice of him; I did not speak to him. Q. Was any body with him? - A. I did not see any body else but Dealy. Q. In consequence of hearing that the man's room was robbed, did you give information to any body? - A. Mr. Farder and Mr. Percival were coming down to know who had lost a bed, I mentioned this man, and spoke of seeing Hugh Dealy go into the passage; I live just by at a shop, within two doors of this place. Q. Did Dealy live in that neighbourhood? - A. Yes; he lived close by us. WILLIAM LEATHERAGE sworn. - Q. Do you know either of the prisoners at the bar? - A. Yes, both, for several years, by living in the same neighbourhood; I knew them when they were little; about a week before Christmas, on a Saturday, I was standing at my own door, No. 2, in Old Pye-street, I saw these two lads, along with some bed and bedding as I took it to be; the first time, I saw Dealy alone with the bedding, the next time, I saw them both with the bed, they came past my door, in the direction from where this house is. Q. How far is your house from this? - A. About four or five hundred yards, it was then near seven o'clock. Q. Did you see Dealy go back, after you saw him carry the bedding? - A. Yes, in about five minutes; and they both returned the same way in about ten minutes. Q. The first time Dealy passed you, did you see where he carried what he had with him? - A. To one Mrs. Franklin's, who keeps an old iron and clothes shop, two doors off from me; I saw him come out again, and he had left behind him what he carried in. Q. When they both came by you a second time, did you see where they went to with the bed? - A. To the same house, Mrs. Franklin's; upon this, and knowing the two lads, I went down to Mr. Farder, the constable, and gave the information; he came to Mrs. Franklin's, and brought out the bedding and other things; I was present when they were brought out, I did not go in. Q. Is this Mrs. Dunton a married woman? - A. Yes, she has a great family. Q. Are you perfectly sure these boys were the persons carrying the things? - A. Yes, I am. JOSEPH FARDER sworn. - I am constable of the parish of St. John's; William Leatherage, the last witness, gave me an information respecting the prisoners, in consequence of which, I went to my brother officer, Joseph Percival, in Old Pye-street, and we went together to Mrs. Franklin's, within about a dozen or fourteen doors of where I live; I told her I was come for some bed and bedding, which was brought in by the two prisoners, Jones and Dealy; she told me they were there, and shewed them me, they were lying in a back parlour altogether; I asked her how they came to be brought there; she said, the prisoners brought them till one Mrs. Clarke came home, that she was not at home. Q. Does Mrs. Clarke live in that house? - A. No. Q. What is she? - A. She sells fish and potatoes in a cart; I secured the bed, bolster, two pillows, and two old blankets, and took them to Percival's house; it being late that Saturday night we could not go to the office; and then we went about the neighbourhood to hear if any body had lost such things; we went along Peter-street, I went into Mrs. Dunton's, she said, her lodger had lost them; the Magistrate ordered that the old man should have the bed, we marked it; Percival has the pillows. JOSEPH PERCIVAL sworn. - I went with the last witness to Mrs. Franklin's, we found a bed and bedding, and took them away to a warehouse belonging to me; the bed, blankets, and bolster, were delivered to the old man on Tuesday night; I marked the blankets by cutting pieces out, I kept the pillows. (Produces them). Prosecutor. Both these pillows are mine, I know them by the two covers upon each of them. Q. Are the pillow-cases marked? - Percival. I saw one with W upon it. Q. (To the Prosecutor.) This was in an unfurnished room; your own property, and not Mrs. Dunton's? - A. Exactly so. Jones's defence. When we went up to the office to have a hearing, that old gentleman that belongs to the property, was asked whether the door was open or locked, he said it was left open. Q. (To Percival.) Did he declare to you that the door was left open? - A. No; I will explain that business: when I enquired who had lost this property, after going into several shops, I went into Mrs. Dunton's; she said, the poor old man in her house had been robbed; there was a glass door between Mrs. Dunton's room and him, which was locked; and I went round and saw the old gentleman in the room making sad lamentation; he said, I went out and locked the door, I tried it, and put the key in my pocket, and the lock is loose; I examined it, and observed it was deficient in the screws. Dealy said nothing in his defence. Q. (To Percival.) Who apprehended the prisoners? - A. I did, about a month afterwards. Jones, GUILTY (Aged 16.) Dealy, GUILTY (Aged 15.) Of stealing the goods, but not breaking and entering . Transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron THOMPSON .

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C H on 18th February 2024

Description 15yrs. 5F/ Sallow complexion, brown hair Grey eyes born at Fulham Labourer.